This invention relates generally to an automation system for controlling and monitoring devices and sensors, and more particularly to a device adapter for such an automation system.
Home networking and automation have become more popular. With the number and complexity of audio/video equipment increasing, some homeowners are interested in operating their equipment more easily. Other homeowners are more concerned about the security and safety of their homes. These homeowners may want to remotely monitor their homes, remotely control appliances and other power line devices, and learn when important events occur. For example, an important event can be the hot water heater bursting or leaking, or another type of event. Power line devices are devices that connect to the power line, usually through a plug that connects to an electrical outlet.
Currently, there are two popular home networking infrastructures. The first is hone line networking. To provide in-home networking of computers and computer peripherals without requiring home rewiring, as is usually required with standard Ethernet networks, the Home Phone line Networking Alliance (HomePNA) was formed to leverage the existing phone lines in homes. More detailed information regarding the HomePNA can be found on the Internet at www.homepna.com. While phone line networking allows homeowners to create small local-area networks (LAN""s) within their homes for the purposes of connecting computers and computer peripherals, it has limitations. Significantly, phone line networking typically does not allow homeowners to control appliances, lamps, and other power line devices within their homes.
A second home networking infrastructure is power line networking. Power line networking provides ubiquitous wired connectivity throughout the majority of homes. One type of power line networking is known as X10. X10 is a communications protocol that allows for remotely controlling power line devices, such as lamps and appliances. More detailed information regarding the X10 protocol can be found on the Internet at ftp://ftp.scruz.net/users/cichlid/public/x10faq.
Current power line networking, such as X10 networking, is limited. The X10 protocol, for example, provides only a rudimentary and low-level framework for controlling and monitoring power line devices. The framework generally does not allow for sophisticated and complex device control applications. While automation systems employing existing X10 technology can be implemented using computers, more typically the systems are implemented with relatively less intelligent control centers that only govern a limited number of power line devices, in a limited manner. When computers are used, the resulting systems are still far from ideal. They may be difficult to use, and may not be reliable or robust against equipment failures and crashes.
An intelligent, reliable, and robust automation system that overcomes these problems is described in the cofiled patent application Ser. No. 09/641,489 entitled xe2x80x9cAutomation System for Controlling and Monitoring Devices and Sensorsxe2x80x9d, Ser. No. 09/641,489. For non-intelligent power line devices, such as lamps, appliances, and other devices, to be controlled and monitored by the system, device adapters can be used. Such device adapters are the subject of this patent application.
The invention relates to a device adapter for an automation system for controlling and monitoring devices and sensors. The devices can include power line devices, such as lamps, appliances, audio/video equipment, and other devices that connect to the power line of a house or other building. The sensors can include sensors for detecting the occurrence of emergency-related and other events. For example, a water sensor located near a hot water heater can detect whether the heater has burst, or is leaking.
Device adapters are employed to allow non-intelligent power line devices that cannot otherwise be controlled and accessed within the automation system to be controlled and accessed within the automation system. A device adapter can be connected between a non-intelligent power line device and an electrical outlet of the power line. A device adapter can also be integrated within the casing of a power line device to render an otherwise non-intelligent device an intelligent device that can be controlled and accessed within the automation system. The device adapter can be integrated into an electrical outlet, so that a non-intelligent power line device can be directly plugged into the outlet and be controlled and accessed within the system. In general, device adapters are interfaces between non-intelligent devices and the power line.
The device adapter includes at least a transmitter, a receiver, and a logic mechanism. The transmitter announces joining and leaving of the non-intelligent power line device to the automation system. The receiver receives commands from the automation system, and acts as a controller to control electricity to the non-intelligent power line device, depending on the commands received from the system. The logic mechanism determines when to instruct the transmitter to announce joining and leaving. The device adapter can also include a sensor. The sensor determines the on/off status of the power line device.
The invention encompasses device adapters and automation systems of varying scope. The device adapter can be used in conjunction with an automation system, or another type of system. For example, the device adapter can be used in conjunction with the automation system described in this patent application. Other aspects, embodiments and advantages of the invention, beyond those described here, will become apparent by reading the detailed description and by referencing the drawings.